 Ukraine can seize the cities of the Russian Federation in order to liberate its territories. The Azov Brigade, hailed by Ukrainians for its tenacity during Russia's siege of Mariupol, is scrambling to rebuild from heavy combat losses as it seeks to play a muscular role in Ukraine's next major assault. The high-profile unit is hoping to recruit 6,500 new fighters who will provide restored combat heft, even as its leaders, push for the return of more than 1,000 brigade troops who remain in Russia as prisoners of war. The Washington Post newspaper writes about it. We are ready to liberate territory. Major Bodan Tavra Krotovic, who is the brigade's interim commander and is leading the rebuilding effort after his release from Russian captivity in the fall, said in an interview with the Washington Post. The Ukrainian government has designated Azov, which recently absorbed other elements of the country's National Guard as one of six offensive brigades that will help spearhead Ukraine's attempt to recapture Russian-occupied areas. After months of largely static front lines, the spring fighting season will be crucial as Ukraine aims to prove that it can hold out against Russia and is still worthy of support from outside backers who have poured billions of dollars' worth of weaponry into the fight. Units leaders say recruitment is going well, but declined to disclose precise numbers. Fully achieving those goals may be difficult more than a year into the fight after Ukraine's military has taken heavy losses. The majority would assume that the war will end quickly or somebody will win it for us. This didn't happen, Krotovic said. So we're trying to explain to the civilian population of the country that we need them to help us to liberate territories. Asked about the coming offensive, Krotovic cited the first Russian Chechen war when Chechen forces adopted a strategy of capturing small Russian towns to use as leverage to recover Russian-held areas. He suggested Ukraine may do the same. He said that Azov would draw on the ordeals of 2022 in future fighting. Our Azov-style experience tells us that there are no situations with no way out, he said.